Abstract:
The interaction of polarized light with photonic crystals exhibits unique features due to its subwavelength nature on the surface and the periodic variation of refractive index in the depth of the
crystals. Here, we present a detailed study of polarization anisotropy in light scattering associated
with three-dimensional photonic crystals with face centered cubic symmetry over a broad range
of wavelength and angle. The polarization anisotropy leads to a shift in the conventional
Brewster angle defined for a planar interface with certain refractive index. The observed shift in
Brewster angle depends strongly on the index contrast and lattice constant. Polarizationdependent stop gap measurements are performed on photonic crystals with different index
contrasts and lattice constants. These measurements indicate unique stop gap branching at highsymmetry points in the Brillouin zone of the photonic crystals. The inherited stop gap branching
is observed for TE polarization whereas it is suppressed for TM polarization as a consequence of
the Brewster effect. Our results have consequences in the scattering of polarized light from
plasmonic structures and dielectric meta-surfaces and are also useful in applications such as
nanoscale polarization splitters and lasers.
